Featured Creatures

What creature is unable to jump and known as a “speed goat”?

Can you name a carnivore that eats no meat, has a pseudo opposable thumb, but is not a primate? Meet the Giant Panda! In the summer of 2018, I took on a photography and videography internship at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. to do what I love: take photos of animals. Photographing animals…

What stands like a kangaroo, has stripes like a tiger, and is found everywhere in art but nowhere in nature? Meet the Thylacine! A Unique Creature with a Truly Unique Biology I was first introduced to the thylacine at a young age while watching a wildlife documentary. This one, focused on the wildlife of Australia,…

What animal is the “Superhero of the Desert,” reshaping entire ecosystems simply by eating, roaming, and . . . pooping? Meet the Desert Superhero!  Desert wandererCurved as the dunes he walks onSplat! Anger expressed A close family friend asked me to cover camels as one of my Featured Creatures. Ask, and ye shall receive! Despite…

What small owl blends perfectly into tree bark, has a song that trembles through the night like a soft trill, and thrives everywhere from Texas forests to New York City parks?

What lizard is among the largest in the Western Hemisphere, has striking red eyes to reduce the sun’s glare, and has been called the “Gardener of the Forest” in their native ecosystem?

What creature is nicknamed the “river wolf?”

What tree wears needles in summer, gold in autumn, and nothing at all in winter, yet never forgets to bloom again?

What ubiquitous little parasite purposely changes the behavior of its host, through some method researchers can’t even agree on?

What animal was revered and worshipped by ancient American civilizations, whose name means “he who kills with one leap”, and who has the strongest bite force relative to size among the big cats?

What river-dwelling goddess could navigate by sound alone, survived twenty million years of environmental change, yet disappeared within a few decades of human industrial expansion?

Which species of bear is the smallest and most arboreal, has the longest tongue of all bears, and are so smart, they can pick locks with their claws?

What species is an expert diver and well known for its haunting wail?

Which creature is one of the largest snakes in the world, a popular exotic pet, and an unwanted addition to the Florida Everglades ecosystem?

What species has a hard outer shell that protects from predation, is found across the Midwest of the United States, and inspired the name of a Big Ten mascot?

What tiny creature glows in the dark, digests cellulose, and can propel themselves up to 20 times their body length in the air without even using their legs?

What creature stands still for thousands of years, weathering wind, drought, and time itself, yet still grows inch by inch in the high mountains out west?

What charismatic seabird is known for its aerial agility and illusion of water-walking prowess? 

What species fights climate change, creates “surface-active groups,” and shares a home with the Maine lobster?

I flicker and float in warm evening air,
Like nature’s own fireworks, more care than scare.
No sound, just light as I drift and play
What glowing insect lights up your way?

What animal is the largest of the wild goat species, whose name means “snake eater” in Persian, and is the national animal of Pakistan?

What species is the tallest tree in the world, produces fog, and provides habitat for many organisms?

What animal was named after an Aztec god, maintains a youthful appearance for its entire life, and can regrow limbs, organs, and even parts of its central nervous system without scarring?

I live where the forest is humid and deep,
I chatter and mimic, I laugh and I weep.
With feathers of gray and a mind that’s quite bright,
I talk with my flock from morning to night.

What animal, despite having the same number of vertebrae, has a neck longer than the average human, has spot patterns as unique between individuals as our fingerprints, and despite their gentle appearance, can kill lions with a karate-style kick!?

What is the second most consumed insect group in the world (by humans) that can build nests with heights up to 9 meters (29.5 feet) and has a symbiotic relationship with fungi?

What species sang part of a Mozart concerto and got its own musical tribute in return?

I’m smaller than dust, yet ancient and wise,
I thrive in the harshest of lows and highest of highs.
No mate, no death, no fear of the cold,
I borrow new genes when my own get too old.

What creature is able to control blood flow to their extremities, has eyes adapted for underwater vision, and spends 75% of its life at sea?

What plant thrives in the harshest landscapes, conserving water like a desert camel, and produces a sweet yet spiky fruit enjoyed for centuries? The Prickly Pear Cactus!

I prowl the woods, both fierce and lean,
With golden eyes and coat unseen.
Once a ghost upon the land,
Now brought back by careful hand.
Who am I, wild and free,
Yet bound by fate and history?

What creature is mall and round 
and with a shrill sound 
it nests in the ground, 
where it hopes not to be found?

What creature used to live on the ground but now hangs in trees, has hair that grows in the opposite direction than most mammals, and turns green because of the algae that thrives in their fur?

With leaves shaped like a spade, what plant
is known to invade and refuses to fade? 

What insect spends years hidden underground, preparing for a brief but spectacular emergence into the sunlight, filling the air with the deafening, iconic song of summer?

What animal swims upright and is one of the few where males carry the pregnancy?

What plant can also be used as a soap,
but without a certain insect, simply could not cope? 

What berries grow in crimson towers,
With tangy taste that puckers and sours?

What’s usually purple, but sometimes pink,
and in the summer you might want it in a drink?

What creature often looks blue, but isn’t, is found on every continent but Antarctica, and inspired a train’s design?

What creature grows backwards and can swallow a tree whole?

What tree has adapted to grow directly in lava rock and is a keystone species of the Hawaiian watershed?

What Mediterranean tree is uniquely equipped to withstand wildfires with armor-like bark and high, out of reach, branches?

What bog-builder can hold 15-20 times its dry weight in water?

What plant was the first to flower in space and is the most widely used model species for studying plant biology?

What acrobatic raptor was so essential to medieval public health, killing it was a crime and it became the national bird of Wales?

What plant plays an important role in its native Eastern Hemisphere grasslands, but alters soil moisture and fire regimes when introduced in North America?

What seemingly cute, small creature is, in fact, a terrifying killer that drills a hole into their prey, liquidizes them, and then sucks them out like a smoothie?

What creature has large eyes, dexterous feet, and is the only venomous primate known to exist??

The slow loris (Nycticebus)!

What athletic creature can reach speeds of 45mph and cool itself down with large ears – all in a 2.5 kg frame? 

The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis)!

What creature steals photosynthesis, can go a year without eating, and blurs the animal-plant boundary? 

The Eastern Emerald Elysia!

What creature carves out little pieces of tree leaves to build its nest inside hollow stems?

The Leafcutter Bee!

What 200-pound nocturnal sea creature, thought to have gone extinct millions of years ago, was resurrected in 1938? 

What creature is the world’s smallest ungulate?

The chevrotain!

What handsome creature dyes its feathers and almost exclusively eats bones?

The bearded vulture!

What creature is the engine of the Portuguese economy and works hard to delight wine-lovers around the world?

The Cork Oak!

Which creature who helps fight climate change has newborns the size of an adult elephant and is not a fan of boats?

The Blue Whale!

What semiaquatic creature has a paddle-like tail, swims through crevices, and can even climb trees?

The banded sea krait!

What creature has a venomous bite and is uniquely adapted to survive harsh desert terrain?

The Gila monster!

What unique animal could be a cross between a rabbit, a pig, an opossum, and an anteater?

The aardvark!

What instantly recognizable songbird holds seven state titles and has the crown to prove it?

The Northern Cardinal!

What statuesque organism is a champion of beauty, hardiness, and capacity to nurture life around it?

The Northern Red Oak!

What mammal makes a mysterious sound that scientists can’t figure out, can jump straight up to a height eight times their body length, and loves us when we love them?

Felis catus, the mostly tame, sometimes feral, house cat!

What often-overlooked creature is an expert navigator, an impressive postman, and a natural mammographer?

A pigeon!

What striking seabird is a master of adaptability in the ocean and the air?

The Atlantic Puffin!

What long-legged creatures are known for their beauty, social habits, and fabulous flamboyance?

Flamingos!

What species of tremendous size and grace undertakes the largest mammal migration on Earth?

The humpback whale!

What cute creature is an underground architect and an amateur meteorologist?

The Groundhog!

What common bird possesses an uncommon intelligence, including diversified communication, excellent memory, and a talent for mathematics? 

The crow!

What furry feline has stealthy skills, built-in snow gear, and a surprising screech? 

The Canada lynx!

What creature feeds on trees, spits its seeds out, and despite being poisonous to humans, is known for encouraging love?

Mistletoe!

What fascinating feline with unique adaptations roams the aquatic ecosystems of Southeast Asia?

The fishing cat!

What tree, the “Redwood of the East,” once dominated the forests of the Eastern United States, and the cultural landscape as well?

The American Chestnut!

Have you ever heard of a squirrel that barks?

What organism can grow up to 35 inches in a day, conduct electricity, and survive an atomic bomb?

Bamboo!

What is the heaviest, oldest and one of the largest creatures on the planet?

What small but fearless songbird can astonish with its aerial acrobatics and is always ready to battle much bigger birds for dominance?

The Black Drongo!

What creature preys on ants and other insects, invading their bodies, seizing control of their minds, and killing them off to reproduce, all the while inspiring zombie stories that terrify us humans?

Welcome to Zombie Ant Fungus, or Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis!

Which creature is the largest Asian antelope, considered sacred to some and pest to others?

The Nilgai!

What nocturnal creatures native to North America are known for their beauty and the fact that they don’t eat at all in their adult life? 

Luna moths!

Which creature fights fires, creates wetlands, recharges groundwater, alters landscapes, and is a climate hero?

Beavers!

What creature comes from Southeast Asia, is the biggest of its kind, eats animals we need, and  has been tried and convicted of murder in the court of public opinion?

Meet the Asian Giant Hornet!

Which fungi creature gets its name from a bird, helps heal internal wounds, and benefits people worldwide?

What creature is the largest of its kind, sports beautiful patterns, and holds a reputation for being a ‘gentle giant’? 

The whale shark!

Which creature is a master of architecture, contributes to human food sources, and has a mutually beneficial relationship with numerous plant species?

Which keystone species creates intricate burrows, is aggressive towards its own kind, and hibernates from October to May?  The European Hamster! Did you know that there are multiple species of hamster in the wild? I didn’t know this until recently, when I stumbled upon a BBC Earth video of a European Hamster foraging for food…

Which creature enjoys social gatherings, is well adapted to its habitat, and can be very altruistic? The Banded Mongoose is a small mammal with a mass of approximately ≤2kg (or 4 lbs) found in (and indigenous to) various parts of Africa. While most other mongoose species live a solitary life, the banded mongoose is gregarious…

Which creature is a combination of two other organisms, comes in bright colors, and helps us measure air quality?

Lichen!

What sort of worm is festooned with sensitive tentacles all the way down its sides and – though it can’t bark – has a nasty bite? That would be the “clam worm” or alitta succinea, a denizen of estuarial waters. Alternative names I’ve always called them “seaworms” but they are normally known as “clam worms,” “ragworms,”…

What creature grows tall and sturdy, cleans up its neighborhood, and defends itself from predators – all without moving a muscle?

The Giant Barrel Sponge, or Xestospongia muta!

What tiny creature brings luck to farmers and other folks all over the globe? The ladybug!  One Lucky Lady Ladybugs, or beetles of the family Coccinellidae, are small, often colorful rounded insects beloved by children’s rhymes and gardeners alike.  Ladybugs are thought to be a sign of luck in many cultures and urban myths. Whether it’s…

What creature has no mouth, is known for colorful patterns, and is famous for mimicking a deadly predator?

Which creature existed before the dinosaurs, is an aerial genius, and can detect things we can only witness through slow-motion cameras?

What brainless creature can learn, problem solve, and even hold down a job? 

The slime mold!

What creature the size of a paperclip is lethal enough to kill ten grown men? The poison dart frog! What makes the poison dart frog so powerful? Poison dart frogs – so named because the Indigenous Emberá people of Colombia traditionally used the venom in blow darts – are some of the most toxic creatures…

What creatures navigate oceans, climb mountains, feed forests, and motivate us to destroy renewable energy infrastructure?